This week is Homelessness Week - a time to raise awareness about the widespread impact of homelessness and the challenges faced by people and their cherished pets impacted by homelessness.

The day I met Juliette, she was in complete distress. Her two cherished dogs had eaten rat poison in the house where she was staying.

Juliette, in her 50s, has been going it alone for several years after leaving domestic violence. Due to a lack of qualifications (she had been a stay-at-home mum, raising her two kids who are now in adulthood and living interstate), she has struggled to find secure employment and battles mental health challenges. Forced out of her home when her previous landlord decided to sell, and also suffering the loss of her partner from suicide two years ago, she endures so much and central to her coping are her two dogs, Princess and Doug.

For the past year, Juliette has been leaning on the kindness of people in her network and spends most nights sleeping on people’s couches. There have been times when she has been faced with having to surrender Princess and Doug, so she has chosen to sleep in her car instead. She would tell us constantly, “they are my life, and I cannot give them up. Without them, I would not still be here.”

Juliette was absolutely frantic when we met, terrified of the consequence of her dogs eating poison, and that she only had $150 towards veterinary costs.

Fortunately, Juliette connected with us through her housing case worker and was eligible for a Crisis Care Veterinary Funding Package through our charity, Cherished Pets Foundation. The good news is that the rat poison ingestion had only just happened, so a visit to our clinic to induce vomiting meant we were able to clear their stomaches of the pellets, and we followed up a few days later with blood monitoring to ensure Princess and Doug had not been adversely affected. They were both fine.

This week is Homelessness Week — an annual campaign coordinated by Homelessness Australia to drive awareness about homelessness, who it affects and what solutions are needed to end homelessness for Australia.

We want to emphasise the crucial role of companion animals in supporting the mental and physical health of individuals impacted by homelessness, and the need for services to support people with pets impacted by housing insecurity.

While the benefits of companion animals during times of crisis are well-documented, it's essential that we have the necessary services and funding in place to support both people and their pets. Ensuring that these vital supports are available helps address homelessness and its effects on both individuals and their cherished pets.

Homelessness can impact anyone, regardless of their circumstances. Even those with jobs may find themselves without a home, and many families are struggling to navigate a broken system for the first time — and with many of these families having pets, it adds an extra layer of complexity to their already challenging situation.

Juliette represents a typical Cherished Pets Veterinary Social Service client. We see this profile is common: an older woman, history of family domestic violence, estranged from family, suffering physical and mental illness, stepped aside from her career to focus on family duties hence has minimal funds in superannuation, is dependent on government support, and is impacted by homelessness. Her beloved dogs are her only constant and support for her emotional wellbeing.

When people can’t get the help they need, they fall deeper into crisis, making it harder to escape the situation they are in. For those with pets, hardship often forces people to make heartbreaking choices, including rehoming or surrendering their pets, who are family.

Statistics in Geelong highlight significant inequality in our region, presenting an urgent need for interconnected services. With the population of Geelong on the rise, the housing problem is getting worse:

• In FY23 in Geelong, 1,700 people experienced homelessness and a further 2,672 were at risk of homelessness. A serious shortage of affordable housing and public and social housing options is leaving people with limited options.¹

• The proportion of Geelong residents considered to be ‘struggling’ financially almost quadrupled between March 2020 and March 2024.²

• Homelessness Australia has estimated that an additional $450 million in homelessness support is needed to respond to new people needing homelessness assistance and people currently being turned away.³

Juliette, Princess, and Doug are just one of the many pet families we've supported in a crisis. We see firsthand the connection between people in distress and the suffering of their animals. Over 50% of the crisis cases supported by Cherished Pets in the last year required urgent and crucial funding for veterinary care, crisis accommodation, and social-emotional support. And alarmingly, 1 in 3 pets we assisted had not received veterinary attention in over two years due to the barriers faced by their humans.

Finding funds for unexpected pet care creates additional stress, so financially friendly, flexible and interconnected veterinary care and social services, such as ours, are vital to ensure pets and their people receive essential care in times of crisis.

We believe that everyone, no matter their socioeconomic status, deserves the joy and immense mutual health and wellbeing benefits that pets bring. Regardless of their housing situation, every family deserves to have their basic needs met while feeling safe, secure, and supported alongside their cherished pets.

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We keep pets with their families - where they belong. By addressing the needs of cherished pets, we open the door to supporting their humans as well. If playing a part in this impact resonates with you and you can make a donation, assist with large-scale funding, or know someone who can, please reach out to us.

Together we can work for a future where people and pets have what they need to thrive.